Pages

Mar 26, 2016

Mancave developed this simple to build tumbler for smoothing 3d printed parts. It works best with metallic filaments like Bronzefill and simillar. It tumbles the part with small screws giving it shiny and smooth surface.

Mar 17, 2016

Cliff is in action again!!! Swedish 3d printing guru designed a new small RepRap and he wants YOU to help him name it! Live him a comment under a video with your idea.
The no-name RepRap is a interesting looking machine that has many 3d printed structure parts that can be produced on a standard sized printbed.

Hyeon Han from South Korea developed smart eye glasses frame with 3d printing shell. He named it “PICK glasses 3.5”.
It features a very small custom PCB (45mm x 10mm), Arduino, vibration motor, acceleration sensor, serial port (TTL), battery charger and Bluetooth 4.0. There is no description of what it actually does but if you have a platform you will find a purpose :-)

Vortex generators are small vanes that are mounted on various vehicles, mostly aircraft, to improve their aerodynamic performance. In theory they could be installed on a car and improve the fuel economy and increase MPG (or lower the liters per 100km for us Europeans).
Since they are easy to make and design, there are several 3d printable models. They are also very cheap so you can make dozens for a few dollars.

Samm Shepard 3d printed vortex generators and made road tests with good results. He also explains a science and aerodynamic principles behind it.

Kyle also does a great job in simplifying the science behind it and also has real-life tests with positive results but claims they are only useful on high performance cars.

Autospeed magazine did some testing and achieved positive results in 2006:

Vortex generators on cars can achieve measurable, scientifically proven improvements in car aerodynamics – reducing both lift and drag. The Lancer Evo is probably the shape of things to come – expect vortex generators (of whatever design) to be used on new cars, especially to improve the flow around corners towards the rear of the body.

Positive gains can be achieved only by practical experimentation. That’s the downside – the upside is that the vortex generators are easy to temporarily stick into place with masking tape, and just as easily removed if they are not achieving the desired results. They’re also cheap enough that buying ten or so for experimentation is a good investment.

But they did have some negative results if they were placed on wrong places.

Mar 5, 2016

This guy made a desktop jet engine made with many 3d printed parts and burning chamber made from refractory cement molded with PLA 3d printed mold. He also used a skateboard bearings, sheet metal and an electric starter, all powder with lighter fluid!?

Here is a video of the engine running and being taken apart:

Here is a test at 40k RPM:

Project homepage with complete construction manual book to be released:

Jeremie Francois developed his own method of automatic print bed leveling and calibration by using some force sensors, Arduino to communicate with modified Marlin firmware and three Z-axis lead screws.

Justine shows how to get a smooth surface on your 3d print with some help of thermal transfer tool which is somewhat simillar to soldering iron. It is used mostly by woodworkers to etch or scorch a pattern with heat into the wooden surfaces Results look good.